They rejected Martinez's appointees to the state Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, electing Democrats instead.

And three Republican district judges that Martinez appointed in Dona Ana County - all former subordinates of hers when she was district attorney - lost their seats on the bench.

Democrats say it was a bruising, counterproductive election for Martinez, who lost a lot more than she won.

"Basically she spent $2.3 million to defeat one person," state Rep. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, said of the governor's record in this election.

Stewart was referring to Democratic state Sen. Tim Jennings of Roswell, who was ousted by voters after 33 years in office.

Martinez and her affiliated political committees targeted Jennings, president pro tem of the Senate, with a rough and expensive ad campaign. With their help, Republican Cliff Pirtle, 27, defeated Jennings by a solid 5 percentage points.

But Martinez lost in her effort to oust another high-profile senator, Majority Leader Michael Sanchez of Belen. Martinez's camp accused Sanchez in television ads of being soft on baby killers. In the Capitol, she has said Sanchez was an obstructionist to what she wants in legislation.

Sanchez fought back in ads of his own and retained his Senate seat, defeating state Rep. David Chavez by 11 percentage points.

Sen.

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Peter Wirth said the governor's attacks on Jennings and Sanchez were part of an ongoing strategy that he considers misguided.

"The my-way-or-the-highway approach just doesn't work," said Wirth, D-Santa Fe.

Martinez will try to advance a legislative agenda in January, and she will have to face Sanchez, who decides which bills are heard on the Senate floor. Whether Martinez can create a working relationship with Sanchez will be one of the key questions of the legislative session.

Jay McCleskey, Martinez's political adviser, said the election is over and the time for bipartisanship has arrived.

"Governor Martinez has already begun reaching out to legislators on both sides of the aisle, and she is committed to working in a bipartisan manner to continue moving New Mexico forward," McCleskey said.

As for the election, McCleskey said it was one of ups and downs for the governor.

"In a tough night for Republicans nationally and at the top of the ticket in New Mexico, we are pleased that we were able to win three seats in the state Senate, including defeating two of the three Democratic Senate leaders," McCleskey said.

In addition to Jennings, voters defeated Mary Jane Garcia, a senator since 1988 and the Democrats' whip.

But state Rep. Mimi Stewart said Garcia's loss was solely because of self-inflicted wounds.

"She got in trouble in (claiming) her per diem expenses. That was it," Stewart said.

Overall, Democrats control the Senate, 25-17, and the House of Representatives, 39-31.

Sen. Timothy Keller said one outcome of this election may be that Martinez loses the chance to promote a legislative agenda.

"What's interesting is that she went all in against Michael (Sanchez) and he won easily. She shot an air ball against Michael," said Keller, D-Albuquerque.

Now, Keller said, the state could be heading toward a political system similar to the one in the 1990s, when Republican Gary Johnson was governor and the Legislature was in Democrats' control. There was little communication or collaboration between Johnson and legislators in that era, Keller said.

"There was no Johnson agenda. The Legislature passed bills, sent them up and he signed them or he didn't. Now there is the potential for that same situation," Keller said.

Sen. Howie Morales, D-Silver City, said what is indisputable is that Martinez has created new ground rules and financial pressures for state legislative campaigns.

"It's going to cost $100,000 to run for a House seat, more for Senate seats," which cover larger geographic areas, Morales said. "That's a lot of money for nonpaid positions."

Milan Simonich, Santa Fe bureau chief of Texas-New Mexico Newspapers, can be reached at msimonich@tnmnp.com or 505-820-6898. His blog is at nmcapitolreport.com

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